Football

One up, one down for a neutral start to the month. And now at last we get to an interesting stage of the Champions League. After the boring league stages and cagey first legs now its make or break stage. So its football all the way tonight.

7.45 Oldham to beat Hartlepool 10/11 (LOST 1-0 -1.00)
Oldham are knocking on the door of the playoffs in League One and their recent home form is excellent. Only one loss at home since the start of November and 10 goals in the last five of those. Hartlepool should end up safe from relegation but its their away form that means they are looking down rather than up. In 17 games on the road, they have lost a colossal 12 games, only bottom club Port Vale have lost more, and on Saturday lost 3-0 at next to bottom Bournemouth. The journey to the south coast and back won't have helped things either and with Oldham only having had the short journey up the M6 after a 3-0 victory over Port Vale I'm taking John Sheridan's boys to double up.

7.45 Karim Benzema 1st goal e/w 11 (Paddy Power offer 1/3 odds 1-2-3) (LOST -2.00 - Lyon were a better side than many gave them credit for, but Benzema never really had a decent chance on goal)
Karim Benzema is the star in the Lyon side and despite very publicly not getting on with fellow striker Ben Arfa, is hot property, and is coveted by his opposing manager tonight, Sir Alex Ferguson. The boy can score goals, as he did in Lyon's league win on Saturday and in the first leg against United, so he's in form, and he has scored 4 in his last four Champions League games - the other three coming away from home. So with the added opportunity to impress his United admirers he will be a good bet to get on the scoresheet again tonight.

7.45 Barcelona -2 to beat Celtic 12/5 (LOST -3.00 - another charmed performance by Celtic. Battered agaon but somehow only lost by one goal. Helped by the fact that the early goal meant Barca knew Celtic had to score 3 to win, but still disappointing)
Celtic were lucky to get 2 at home and lucky Barca didnt score 6. And having lost to Atletico Madrid on Saturday night, the Champions League offers Barca's best chance of silverware this season now. Ronaldinho is getting back to his best, as witnessed by anyone who saw his tremendous goal in Saturday's defeat, and tonight I expect Celtic to finally get the beating they have somehow managed to escape for so long in Europe. If you're a spread better, I'd be getting long to the ying yang!!!